Sports Center

Southampton Boys Basketball Leads List Of Winter Postseason Awards

There were a number of student-athletes who received postseason awards for the 2016-2017 winter athletics season. Not surprisingly, the Southampton boys basketball team, which reached the New York State Class A Final Four, leads that list.

The Mariners’ success began early on when they won the SYS Summer League season. Then, when the high school season got underway, they won the SYS Holiday Tournament and the East End Officials Holiday Tournament as well. In its first season in Class A, Southampton fought off a competitive group to win League VI, then defeated an incredibly talented Wyandanch team for the Suffolk County title. The Mariners then added to their collection of titles by becoming the Section XI Small School Champions, before defeating Elmont to win the Long Island Championship, but then finally meeting their match in the state Final Four, falling to Our Lady Of Lourdes.

Chad Pike earned All-League, All-Conference and All-County honors while Elijah Wingfield was named All-League, All-Conference and New York State Honorable Mention, was given the New York State Sportsmanship Award, and the MVP Award of the SYS Holiday Tournament. Timmy Alejo, Andre Franklin and Micah Snowden each earned All-League and All-Conference honors; Franklin was MVP of the East End Officials Tournament. Aaron Krzyzewski was named the team’s Unsung Hero and was named to the New York State All-Tournament Team. Eddie Arnold earned All-Academic honors.

Terry McNamara was JV Coach of the Year and varsity head coach Herm Lamison was named Suffolk County Small Schools and League VI Coach of the Year. Both the varsity and JV were given Sportsmanship Awards by the East End Officials.

Ashanti Gumbs was the lone postseason award recipient for the Southampton girls basketball team. She was named All-League. Jack O’Brien pinned Babylon’s Sean Baudille in the consolation finals of the Section XI Division II Championships to place third and earn All-County honors.

Nakia Williams, who will be attending the University of Buffalo on a track scholarship, earned top honors in the high jump during the winter. His laundry list of accolades includes All-Federation, All-State, All-County, All-Division and All-League honors. He was league, division and Long Island Elite champion. He was also All-League and All-Division in the long jump.

Spencer Crough earned All-Division and All-League honors as well as All-County Academic. Gustavo Morastitla was All-Division and All-League. The entire Southampton boys indoor track team earned New York State All-Academic status.

Bridgehampton

The Killer Bees had another successful season, winning the Suffolk County Class D title outright after finishing with an 8-2 League VIII record. They went on to defeat Stony Brook for the C/D qualifier title but, in longtime head coach Carl Johnson’s final season, Bridgehampton fell in the Class D Regional Semifinal to S.S. Seward at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh.

J.P. Harding was named Fourth Team All-State, an All-Long Island Sophomore and All-League. Elijah Jackson was named Small Schools All-Tournament, All-Conference and All-League. Elijah Harding earned All-League status and Nae’Jon Ward was named to the All-Long Island Freshman Team. Max Cheng was Academic All-League.

Pierson

The Pierson/Bridgehampton girls basketball team reached the Suffolk County Class C Championship but fell to eventual state finalist Port Jefferson. Nia Dawson, a Bridgehampton student, was named All-County, Academic All-County and All-League. Lily Kot was also Academic All-County and All-League. Celia Barranco was named League VII Rookie of the Year.

The Pierson boys basketball team finished with a 5-5 League VIII record and, after a strong first half, ultimately lost to Greenport in the first round of the Class C playoffs. Sean Sloane was named All-League and Will Martin was named All-Conference.

East Hampton

Ethan McCormac led the East Hampton/Pierson/Bridgehampton boys swim team this past winter, reaching the New York State Swimming Championships. He earned All-County honors for his efforts in the 100-yard freestyle and was All-League in the 200-yard individual medley, 500-yard freestyle, and was part of East Hampton’s 400-yard freestyle relay team, which also garnered All-League honors. Owen McCormac, Aidan Forst and Christian Brierley joined him on that squad.

Brierley, Ethan McCormac, Ryan Duryea and T.J. Calabrese were All-League in the 200-yard medley relay. Brierley was also All-Lague in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke.

It was a down year for the East Hampton boys basketball team (5-15 overall) but a few Bonackers were still able to come away with awards. Jack Reese was All-Conference and Phil Zablotsky was All-Academic.